Wednesday, June 21, 2017

My last post was all about how a local company has nailed the flavor of Maine blueberries into products that outshines other businesses that use blueberries, Maine Man Flavah's. I have tasted dozens of other products, many from as far away as Oregon, claiming to use Maine blueberries in syrups, jellies, jams, preserves, muffin mixes and vinaigrettes. I will dare say that most used blueberry essence, extract or flavoring. How can you tell? Because you can smell sweet blueberry the second you open it....and I mean sweet, almost like perfume. That is the main indication of a fake blueberry addition.

And yes, I mean fake. Even though the extract or essence may come from blueberries in some form, when you scientifically alter pure wild blueberries, it is FAKE!

Not so with both Maine Man Flavah and Bar Harbor Jam Company. If I remember correctly, these guys have been around since the mid-80's and are truly local, buying and preparing right here at home.

Now they don't need me to give them a plug, one look at their product and it won't take long for you to place an order. One taste of their product and it won't take long for you to reorder. One look at there distribution list, and it won't take long for you to share with friends and family not in this great state.

From Maine to California, stopping at North Dakota, Ohio, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Montana, Tennessee, New Hampshire and Vermont for our friends who want to see what true Yankee blueberry ingenuity is all about.

I really am trying NOT to sound like an advertisement or paid spokesman, because I am not! When you are a New Englander, when you taste a product using Maine blueberries(for example), you stick with it and you tell everyone about it. This is exactly what I am doing.

For example, I recently tried Bar Harbor Jam Company's Wild Blueberry Syrup. Here is an image and even though it looks blue, the picture does it no justice. The syrup is not only bluer then it appears in the image, it is PERFECT! Outstanding doesn't begin to describe it.

I also have a bottle of their WILD Blueberry Vinaigrette 2 days ago. GONE!!!

Keep an eye out for the recipes I used it in. Just outstanding, AGAIN!

Take a peak at their website here and tell me it isn't some kinda temptin'.(Hey, it's the way I talk, get over it, hahaha.)

For anyone who seeks organic products, take a look. Chocolate covered blueberries AND cranberries, take a look. Frozen and dried blueberries, take a look. Breads and muffins, using wild Maine blueberries, take a look. Want a topping for your summer ice cream sundae's, take a look. And finally, for the best Blueberry Soda, take a look. Betcha never heard of Old Soaker Blueberry Soda before. Betcha never will drink another brand after this either! I could go on and on, but just take a look for yourself at the tremendous variety at Bar Harbor Jam Co..

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Again, Maine continues to amaze me with its Yankee ingenuity, hard work, perseverance and above all, sticking with the world's best crop with no other artificial blueberry additives needed. You guys really are Jammin'.

Friday, June 9, 2017

Yup.....that was what was going through my mind when I saw the label on some intriguing hot sauce at a local Christmas shop in Bar Harbor, Maine. Let me explain.

A friend of mine's girlfriend(Yes, also a friend as well)own the Christmas Vacation Shop in Bar Harbor, Maine, It is almost the time of year where you can't even move without offending someone downtown.

Now BEFORE you go snickering about Christmas ornaments being sold in the summer, this store is all about Maine made gifts of ALL types, with emphasis on what made Maine THE tourist attraction, such as lobsters, lighthouses, blueberries and much more.

At any rate, I took a walk into this quintessential Maine store with the premise of seeing Jim and Ellen(friends mentioned above) and simply to catch up. It seemed like it took me forever just to remove myself from staring at all the colorful, New England and Maine-themed ornaments and start treking to the counter to accomplish my goal. As I was doing so, I noticed a number of bottles that simply did not belong. Throwing my glasses on(first making sure nobody was around to see me with glasses)I noticed the name Maine Man Flavahs. Then I noticed the words Blueberry and Habanero. THEN I noticed a blue liquid in each bottle. My culinary curiosity was piqued so I hollered out "What's this stuff?" without even raising my head. Yeah, I blurt out off the cuff way to often and loud.

"Hot sauce" she immediately answered. Well, I wondered if hot sauce in a Christmas shop just t'ain't right! I couldn't have been more wrong

This hot sauce is not only a Maine item, but it is a novelty Maine item, which fits in perfectly with the theme of the Christmas Shop.

At any rate, I bought a bottle and immediately looked this company up, gave them a call, visited them and the love affair soon began.

Ben(one of the owners along with Brian)invited me to try a few more products in their line which haven't been widely distributed outside of Maine as of this writing. A Carrot Habanero Sauce, called Ain't Right on the label, was just as delicious as the Blueberry Habanero Sauce! I dare anyone to find either type of hot sauce that has as much flavor as these two. You simply cannot!

After tasting what may very well be the most flavorful hot sauces on the market NATION-
ALLY, he brought out 2 items that have yet to hit a broader market, but soon will.

Ben went on to explain that instead of tossing out the fiber-rich by-product of each hot sauce, he would allow his Yankee frugality to dictate business decisions.....and I am sure glad he did!

The end result is The Guts(by-product of the Blueberry hot sauce) and the Ain't Right Guts(the results of the....well, you know the answer).

With some culinary magic, Yankee ingenuity and the desire to turn, what is ordinarily thrown out, "sumthin' outta nuthin'", these two relishes will blow you away! I cannot say enough about either of these products, other than they are a MUST try!

In short, ya' gotta try these products and look for them at any of the following businesses. If you aren't around Maine, go to their website to order and even contact them for some new items coming in the next few weeks. Follow these links and find out for yourself!